


Part of Your World

by a_cumberbatch



Series: Disney Destiel Collection [3]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - The Little Mermaid Fusion, Disney Movies, Disney Parody, M/M, Prince Castiel (Supernatural), Prince Dean Winchester
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-08
Updated: 2019-08-08
Packaged: 2020-06-25 02:15:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19736311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_cumberbatch/pseuds/a_cumberbatch
Summary: All he wants is to be a part of his world.





	Part of Your World

Hidden deep below the waves lies a kingdom dusted in sand where merfolk dwell. With walls of glistening coral and sea creatures roaming free, most people would give anything to be part of this watery world. And yet, one certain merman swam about every day and night, wishing for just the opposite. He longed to dance in the rain that only rippled the water, to kick sand up his legs as he ran by the ocean, and to walk through the thick forests he could see in the distance beyond the shore. He wanted to feel the air in his lungs and the sun on his skin. All he needed was just a small taste, and he was sure the human world would be out of his system. This idea would flow from his mind like a fish in a currant, then he could settle into his place. But the King had long since banned all contact from the surface, ever since his wife perished at the hands of human fishermen. And Castiel couldn't disrespect the King. No matter how much the shore called to him, like a reverse siren. No matter how many gadgets and gizmos he collected to prove the world above was full of beauty. No matter how much he needed to leave the ocean. Castiel had to respect the King's laws despite the torment his father was unknowingly putting him through. So Prince Castiel watched the surface from a distance and was very careful. He was very, very careful to leave his father in the dark about his trips above the waves and the souvenirs he brought back. Until one night he wasn't.

•••

Castiel's head broke through the water, soon followed by his two friends. Charlie bobbed beside him in the water while Kevin crawled onto a buoy with a huff. "Your Highness, why must we come to the surface again today? Haven't you had your fun already gathering your nonsense?"

Charlie ruffled her fins, about to go after Kevin when Castiel stopped her. Charlie was Castiel's true friend: she always joined him on swims to the surface, she was always as excited about the things they collected, and she was always happy to keep Charlie's secret from the King. Kevin, on the other hand, was more of a babysitter than a friend. And they all knew it. They talked and spent time together, but at the end of the day, Kevin's loyalty resided with Castiel's father, not Castiel. It was hard enough to keep Kevin from alerting the King about their routine trips above water, yet they'd come to an agreement long ago. Kevin would join Castiel and Charlie, as per the King's orders, but he wouldn't mention leaving the boundaries of the kingdom. Kevin could still do his job and protect the prince while Castiel found some freedom. If that freedom ever turned to danger, Kevin could inform the King and shut the whole thing down. But the young prince was very, very careful when he went to the surface, so that had yet to happen.

"Oh Kevin," Castiel sighed, floating on his back with his arms stretched out to soak up the sun, "I just need to enjoy this a little longer. Doesn't it feel nice? The warmth? The brightness? The air?"

"I suppose so, Your Highness, but we should really be getting back. You need to get ready for the festival tonight."

"Ugh, the festival," Charlie said, swimming beside Castiel.

"I have plenty of time. Besides, no one will miss me if I'm not there until the concert."

Kevin shook his head. "Your father will definitely miss you, Castiel."

He swam over to the buoy, resting his arms on the warm metal. "The clouds are coming in, look." Charlie and Kevin both looked overhead to see dark clouds on the horizon. "When those reach us, I'll go to the festival. Okay?"

Charlie nodded along. "That seems very fair."

"You know what this festival is for, right? We need to be on time."

"Kevin. My father will find a suitable mermaid at the festival with or without me. Besides, there's no guarantee that such a lady exists for all of us. You know as well as I do that this is just an initial screening and I probably won't be matched with anyone. All the focus will be on Michael and Gabriel. Maybe Raphael. The youngest will be pushed off until next year. Or the next. Hopefully even longer."

"If you go now," Kevin tried, "I will personally escort you to the surface tonight. I know the stars are your favorite things to see out here."

Castiel perked up at that. The stars were so beautiful. "And what will you tell Father?"

"Leave that to me."

So they left for the festival, a slow storm brewing behind their gentle splashes as they returned to the sea. Meanwhile, a ship sailed not far off, completely unaware of the weather ahead.

•••

When the trio made it back to the castle, a young mermaid was swimming from spot to spot and only stopped when she saw them. "Your Highness! Prince Castiel! Where have you been? We've been looking all over for you."

"Um, I was practicing for the concert. In the garden."

The mermaid ran her hands over her glittering pink scales. "Well you're just in time for the parade. Your brothers are waiting for you."

Castiel threw a worried look at Kevin. "I thought the parade was cancelled."

As the prince was ushered away, Kevin shrugged- as much as a crab could shrug, that is. He was pushed toward the floats where his six brothers were in fact waiting. "There you are!" Michael said when he saw him. His large red crown sparkled atop his head when he moved. It brought out the red speckles in his otherwise white tail. That crown was for the eldest of the princes, the one who would inherit the entire kingdom one day. All the other coral crowns were the same size, and Castiel was so happy to have one of those. Everyone knew he couldn't handle the responsibility of being King, especially Michael. The look he was giving Castiel now showed that very clearly. "Where have you been?"

Gabriel shook his head before Castiel could make up an excuse. "Don't ask him that. We all know where he was, but we'll all be to blame if he admits to it. And I don't really want to rat him out to Dad. Do you?"

Michael sighed, pressing his fingers into the bridge of his nose. "Let's just get ready. You all know which chariot is yours." And it was true. The Princes had been in so many parades since they were born, their very first would have been just days after their births. So at this point, it was all routine. The same order, the same seahorses that led the chariots, the same crowns on their heads and sea flowers on their steeds that matched their scales, the same routes. It never changed. And the speech that Michael always gave him was the same too. So he didn't even have to tell Castiel to wait this time. They just patiently waited for the chariots to fill before they spoke. Gabriel into the second decorated in gold and teal, then Raphael in the tan, Gadreel in the grey and yellow, Uriel in the orange, and Samandriel in the green and pink behind Castiel's empty black and blue chariot.

"Castiel," Michael started.

But he stopped him. "I know how important this is to everyone. And I know that I need to watch how I spend my time and to make the right choices. I know, Michael. I just- I just don't understand why you think my choices are wrong. I don't understand how that world up there can be so bad."

"You're too much like Mom." He said that just loud enough that Castiel wondered if he heard it at all. None of his brothers liked to talk about their mother, especially the oldest ones.

"Maybe that's not a bad thing either."

"And maybe that will be the thing that kills you too." With that, he gave Castiel his crown and swam off to his chariot.

He spent a long time staring at the crown in his hand, the one that was the same blue as the glints in his black tail and his eyes, the same blue that matched his mother's eyes. Maybe he was too much like her. Or maybe his brothers were too much like their father. Castiel felt lighter placing the crown onto his head and finding his place in the parade. It was almost as if he'd already made a decision he wasn't aware had been offered to him.

•••

Castiel played the part of a good prince for the rest of the festival. He waved to all the merfolk during the parade, talked to the important people his father would guide him toward, and sang his parts in the concert the kingdom so anticipated. Even nearby kingdom residents would come to see the seven brothers sing together. The princes were widely known as having voices of angels, something they all got from their mother. The performances were one of the better parts of the festivals, and Castiel actually enjoyed singing with his family. The happiness that had settled in his chest quickly dissipated when he saw his father waiting for him offstage. Three merfolk were waiting out of earshot- a man wearing a crown, a young woman also wearing a simple band-like crown, and a handmaiden. It was obvious why they were there.

"Castiel," his father called, "there's someone I'd like you to meet."

"No," Castiel said quietly. It wasn't supposed to be him. Not yet. He was supposed to have more time. "Dad."

"Son, Amelia is waiting for us. Don't keep her or her family waiting."

Castiel pressed his hand to his mouth. Then, "Could I just talk to you first? In private?"

"Quickly."

But when they swam to a secluded spot, Castiel couldn't bring himself to say anything, He knew what he wanted was impossible, even more so than asking his father if he could go to the surface. He didn't want to marry this mermaid, or any other mermaid. He didn't want to become King of any kingdom. He just wanted to live a normal life with someone he actually loved. "Dad, please don't make me do this," was all he could think to say.

"Do what? You've always known this was in the works. Princess Amelia is the heir to her kingdom, and you two will get along quite well."

Castiel threw his hands in front of him. "I don't want to just get along with the person I'm married to! I want to love them. I want to pick him for myself without the strings of the monarchy attached." When he realized what he said, he took off without another word.

"Castiel!" the King shouted. "Please come back and talk to me." But Castiel knew there was nothing to be done, nothing else to talk about. A prince who didn't want to marry a princess, one who wouldn't continue the royal bloodline, was useless. He served no purpose to either kingdom and would become a stain on his history. Or maybe he wouldn't even be remembered.

 _This isn't fair,_ he thought. _I just want to- I just want to be happy. I want to be like my brothers, like Michael. He gives his all for the kingdom. He'll marry the nice mermaid Father picks out with no question. He will rule as the new King and will have children of his own and will continue the cycle. All my brothers will. So why can't I? Why can't I just marry Amelia? Why- Why?_

"Castiel!" But he just ignored the voice. "Wait, Castiel!"

"Prince Castiel," Kevin called. And a moment later, Charlie and Kevin were swimming beside him. "What happened? Where are you going?"

He wiped away the tears brimming in his eyes. "Father found someone for me. Out of all of his sons, it was me. I don't understand. Why me?"

Kevin didn't seem to understand. "Michael and Uriel were found suitors as well, Castiel. Were you not happy with your father's choice?"

He didn't understand the panic rising in Castiel or the way the water seemed to press harder and harder on him. It was like he couldn't breathe. He needed to leave, to go somewhere he felt better. Somewhere he felt free. "I'm not happy that I have to marry some random girl, just because she's royalty," he snapped. "I'm not happy that I can't go to the surface when that's all I want to do. I'm not happy that my life has been determined for me and that my worth is going to boil down to how many children I have and how much sand I control." Castiel closed his eyes and sighed. "Sorry, Kev. I just-"

Charlie whispered something to Kevin, and he nodded. "The King is not an unreasonable man. I'm sure if you talked to him-"

"It would only make things worse. Kevin, I just need to get away for a little while. I just need to see it before I have to leave. I need to say goodbye."

Kevin stayed silent, but Charlie nudged Castiel's elbow. "Do you think we'll see the stars tonight?"

"I hope so."

•••

As the three sea dwellers made their way to the open air, a ship glided silently overhead. The Prince of the surface kingdom by the shore was celebrating his birthday, and with it, the inheritance of his beloved kingdom. Festivities were in full swing. The guests talked and drank, and in between, the band would play for those who wished to dance in the clouded moonlight. The Prince himself took every opportunity to dance with everyone on the deck. Men, women, his disgruntled manservant Bobby, even his dog Sam. It was a time for fun and happiness. It wasn't every day you were made King- unofficially that is. Prince Dean's coronation would come at the beginning of the year. Until then, until the actual responsibilities hit him, he was going to enjoy himself. And when the first fireworks went off, Dean felt that everything was going to work out just fine.

•••

"Uh, Castiel," Charlie said, "those aren't stars."

The Prince squinted at the colorful lights until his head broke into the open air. He pressed his hands over his ears. "No," he shouted, "those are definitely not stars."

"What are they?" she asked.

"I don't know. But look over there." He pointed to the royal ship not too far out from where they were swimming. "Let's go check it out."

Kevin tried to tell him to stop, but he was drowned out by the next explosion in the sky. He pulled on one of Charlie's fins in time, though. "We can't encourage him, Charlie. Not after what happened to the Queen. We need to get him home."

But Castiel didn't hear any of this. He was already on his way to watch the people on the ship. He barely even noticed the large drops of rain that started falling when he reached the side of the wooden vessel. Castiel pulled himself up to see what was happening on this ship, listening carefully to every foreign sound that came from the humans' lips. The words sounded mixed up, jumbled, like hearing a story you were told as a child using vocabulary too advanced for your age. Castiel could almost understand the ideas the humans were saying, but he couldn't begin to make out the words or their individual meanings. But their voices. It seemed as if each one was singing. The way the words rose and fell together gave Castiel goosebumps. Especially one particular voice. And once Castiel matched that voice with a face, he was frozen in place. He was beautiful. Golden hair and tanned skin, muscles that filled his clothes nicely, freckles speckled across his face, and green eyes that rivaled the dancing seaweed Castiel grew in the castle's garden. His voice carried over everyone's, and Castiel imagined every strange word was directed at him. The only thing that pulled him from his daze was a sudden loud noise. He thought it was another colorful not-star, but it didn't sound right. And those had stopped a while before that. It was only when the rain turned heavy and a flash of light filled the air did Castiel understand what was happening. He knew the sea would turn violent even before he was thrown from the side of the ship.

"Castiel," Charlie called. "We need to go!"

He knew she was right. He knew this would be the best time to slip into the water without a trace. But something held him there. Something kept Castiel from swimming off and kept his eyes fixed on the boat that was fighting against the storm. Right up until the boat struck rocks and began to sink.

"We can't help them," Kevin said, seemingly reading his mind.

"I know." Castiel looked back at the once happy boat, now being pulled into the waves as its passengers scrambled to the lifeboats. "At least they'll be okay. They have a way home." And he was ready to throw in the towel, ready to go back to his father and marry Amelia like a good Prince. He'd had his fun, or what was supposed to be fun. Look how that turned out.

A large bang filled the noisy air, but Castiel paid no attention to that. It wasn't until someone called, "Dean!" that Castiel stopped. It was a name that cut through the language barrier. It was the panic and despair that really caught his attention. And it was the body of that beautiful human falling into the water that sent Castiel diving in after him.

The lifeboats had no hope of reaching the man as they were being controlled by the malicious ocean. They could only go where she wanted while Dean was dragged further and further down into the inky depths. He must have hit his head, that was the only reason why he wasn't fighting for air when Castiel reached him and why the water was stained red around him. The man was a lot heavier than Castiel thought, so it took a moment to bring him to the surface again. Castiel was very lucky, and Dean coughed up the water he inhaled once his face touched the air. Castiel knew that he couldn't risk Dean being left to find the lifeboats, and he couldn't bring him to them without alerting the humans of the merfolk's presence just a short dive from their homes. So without another option, Castiel started the swim to the secluded sandy beach while Dean slumped against his chest.

•••

“Dean,” Castiel whispered, the foreign name forming without a second thought. “Wake up, please. People are looking for you. I’m sure they love you and are so worried.” Castiel bit his lip, not knowing what else to do. He only had one option, one he wasn’t supposed to use unless absolutely necessary. Castiel began to sing. He let all his emotions flow into the words he picked up from his mother, and later, her books. The sounds were from a long dead language, and Castiel didn’t understand anything he was singing. But he knew what the song meant as a whole: healing and love. All Castiel’s love for humanity and the human world was poured into the man in front of him until Dean slowly opened his eyes.

He coughed, a bit of water dripping from his mouth. He touched his head, his fingers coming back coated with sand and blood despite the wound being closed. “Ugh,” Dean moaned. “What happened?” He squinted at the man in front of him, the face barely coming into view between the sun and his splitting headache. “Who are you? Why-“ His head turned to a noise coming from further down the beach. “Sam. Sam, come here boy!” A voice was barely hidden by the barking that got louder every moment. “Bobby,” Dean pushed himself into a sitting position with a grunt, “I’m over here!”

The next thing Dean knew, he was being tackled by his grey and white dog. “Oh Sam, hey buddy.”

“Thank God we found you. We thought you were gone for good,” Bobby sighed as he turned around the side of the cliff face that blocked the rest of the beach. “What happened? How did you end up here?”

“He saved me.” But when he turned to face the man who saved his life, he was gone.

“Who saved you?”

“He was right here, Bobby. He was right in front of me. He had such dark hair and he was singing....”

“Singing? Did you hit your head?”

“I think, but that’s not the point. He was singing in a different language, and I can still feel his cold hands on my face.” He touched his cheek where the man’s hand had been just moments before. “I don’t understand where he could’ve gone.”

“Maybe you just imagined him, Your Highness.”

“Maybe.” But Dean knew the man was real. He had to be.

•••

It took much longer for Castiel to reach the castle than he anticipated. He’d never been that close to the shore, and he didn’t realize just how far out it was. He knew it was late, but he really needed to talk to his father. He needed to apologize for storming out on him and fix the situation with Princess Amelia. If he could. While he didn’t want to marry her, he knew he had to play his part. But he found every one of his father’s usual places empty. Kevin was the only one in the throne room when Castiel finally made it there.

“Have you seen my father?”

Kevin shifted back and forth. “I told him,” he blurted. “It’s my job to protect you, Castiel. And last night, you took a huge risk that could have ended badly. You could have been caught or killed. But you risked it all for some human?”

“I had to, Kevin. You don’t understand.”

“You’re right; I don’t understand. And your father doesn’t either. He didn’t understand the Queen’s love for humanity, and he doesn’t understand yours. But he won’t make the same mistake he made with your mother. I took him to your grotto, and he is destroying everything as we speak.”

Castiel took off to his hidden treasure trove of human artifacts, Kevin close behind. “No!” But by the time he reached the grotto, it was too late. Everything was gone. Every whos-it and whats-it was reduced to dust. Each thingamabob was just a streak on the wall now. “Father, no.”

“Castiel, these things were corrupting your mind. Your place is in the water, not up with those monsters who killed your mother. This was the only way to protect you.”

He spread his arms out at the empty room. “This was all I had of them. These things were my only connection to the world I can’t be a part of because of your stupid rules. This was all I have of Mom! And you took it from me!” Castiel shouted, his voice echoing around the stone walls as his tears mixed with the salty water. “The humans didn’t take Mom from me: you did.”

“Castiel, listen to what you are saying. They were just useless things.”

But Castiel wouldn’t answer after that. There was no reasoning with him, not with the power of the ocean coursing through his trident. Not with so much anger coursing through his body. So after another round of the King’s yelling without a response, he left Castiel and Kevin alone in the grotto.

“I’m sorry, Castiel.”

“Go.”

“But Your Highness-“

“ _Go!_ ” 

When he was finally on his own, Castiel let the heavy sobs he’d been holding back escape. Everything he loved about the world above was gone. Now he had to move to a new kingdom and marry a mermaid he didn’t know when all he wanted was to see that freckled man again, all without the small comfort he got from his collection. He had no hope for a better future, no way of mending things with his father or continuing his current life. He didn’t know what else he could do. It seemed all his options had been stolen from him and turned to dust with his favorite shiny human things. And yet, a new option was lurking right outside his door.

•••

“Massster,” Juliet hissed, “the prince is alone.”

Ramsey swam to the mouth of the grotto with her sister. “We should get him now, Sssir. Now’sss our chance.”

From his cave on the edge of the kingdom, Crowley flicked his tentacles and knocked a vial off the shelf. “Then do it. That’s why I sent you to him, you idiots. Bring him to me!” He pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose. “They can’t do anything on their own.”

Juliet took the lead, slinking her way toward Castiel, who was still draped over the rock he collapsed on. “Poor child.”

“Poor, sweet child,” her sister agreed.

“Your Highnesss,” Juliet said slowly, “there’sss no reason to cry.”

Ramsey nudged Castiel’s shoulder, startling him out of his emotional spiral. “You can still see your humansss.”

The prince’s head turned between the two eels as they spoke and spun around him, jostling the water into a lulling wave. “You can still see him.”

“You can live on the land with them.”

“You can be one of them, Your HIghnesss.”

He shook his head. “But how? And who are you? How do you know-“

Juliet met his eyes, hushing him without a word. “Our Massster will explain.”

“Our Massster will help bring out your true self.”

“He will give you a second chance.”

“He will give you everything you wisssh.”

Castiel closed his eyes to focus. “Who? Who will?”

“The only one who can help you now.”

“The only one who will go againssst the King.”

“The only one who hasss the power to transform you.”

Then they both spoke at once, sending a cold currant down Castiel’s spine. “The Sssea Witch.”

“Uncle Crowley? But he- He was banished long ago. There’s no way I can go to him!”

“It’s the only way.”

“Unlesss you don’t want to see that human again.”

“Then in that cassse…”

They both started to swim away, but Castiel called out, “Wait! No, take me to him.”

And he couldn’t see the twin eels’ smirks or the matching expression on the old octopus’ face back in his cave. But it wouldn’t take long for their malicious ideas to catch up to him.

•••

“My dear nephew,” Crowley called when he felt the water shift at the mouth of his cave, “it’s so nice to see you again. It’s been ages since I’ve laid eyes on a member of my family. Not since your treacherous father sent me to live all by myself with just my pets to keep me company.”

Castiel eyed him warily. “You tried to kill my father.”

“Allegedly!” One of his tentacles picked up an ingredient and tossed it into a pot he was brewing. “There was no proof,” he said with a sly grin that showed off too many teeth.

“But from what I’ve heard, you’ve had plenty of company. Plenty of customers.”

Crowley pressed a hand to his chest in feigned surprise. “My reputation has spread all the way to the royal halls?” He stared down the small merman. “Is that why you’ve come to me, my dear? To see what the infamous Sea Witch is capable of? To make a deal with your Uncle Crowley?”

The eels wrapped themselves around Castiel’s tail, keeping him in place in a gesture that was almost affectionate. “Your… pets came to me. But I’m sure that was your doing. You wanted me here, so why?” The eels bristled with electricity. “Why are you willing to help me?”

“Oh, nothing comes without a price, Prince Castiel. And if you help me out, I’ll help you as well.”

He swatted away the eels before facing his uncle. “What do you want?”

“Just some collateral for our deal. Something that I can use if need be. Something you won’t miss, I’m sure. Just something small and insignificant when it comes to what I’m proposing.”

“Spell it out for me, Sea Witch.” Castiel lifted his head to look Crowley in the eye. “What exactly would this deal entail?”

“I would give you legs to walk on the surface, legs that would give you a chance to be with your human boy. And I would give you three weeks to make him fall for you lest you return to the sea with your tail between your _metaphorical_ legs. That’s three weeks for you to get that,” he chuckled under his breath, “boy to kiss you. And not just any kiss, my dear, sweet child. The kiss of true love. And if you do succeed within those three weeks, you’ll get your voice back without ever touching a toe into the sea. Your legs will be yours. Permanently,” he cooed.

“And that’s very generous. But what would you get out of it?”

“Your voice.”

Castiel touched the base of his throat. “But how can I make him fall for me if I don’t have my voice? If I can’t talk to him?”

“Oh, you’ll have your looks, your pretty face, my dear. And body language is not a thing to be trifled with. You show him who you are and what you can do,” Crowley looked the merman up and down, “and you’ll have that human boy wrapped around your little finger in no time. He’ll be yours without ever needing to say a word.”

“And if I fail? What happens at the end of those three weeks?”

“You will become a merman once more. Oh, and you become mine.” Crowley waved a hand at a shelf that held shriveled creatures trapped in jars. They seemed to silently scream for Castiel’s help, but Crowley grabbed his face so he had to look at him. “Do we have a deal?”

“What about my family?”

Crowley’s hand dropped to his side with a sigh. “No matter what, you don’t get to see them again. Win or lose or never play at all. You either stay on the surface, stay with me, or get married off to some mermaid princess we both know is not your type. So I say forget about those royal pains in the ass. Do what’s good for you because they will only do what’s good for them.” His hand found Castiel’s face again, this time as he crouched to the merman’s level. “My dear, do we have a deal?” Juliet brought out a glowing golden contract while Ramsey inched a pen closer to Castiel’s hand.

He looked down at his tail, the black scales almost disappearing in the cave’s shadows. “My voice for a pair of human legs? A real chance to be one of them? And three weeks to find him again and fall in love?”

“You got it.”

Castiel set his jaw, a steely look in his blue eyes when they met his uncle’s. “We have a deal.” And he signed his name on the dotted line.

A wide grin spread across the Sea Witch’s face, then he pulled a few strands of hair from where his hand rested on the prince’s head. He began to throw ingredients into a pot that steamed and boiled until it settled into a molten green liquid. “Sing for me.”

So Castiel sang. He sang his favorite song from the concert that felt like it was years ago, but then it transformed into a love song he remembered his mother singing. And he couldn’t help but think of Dean as he sang. Those freckled cheeks and those green eyes. That feeling in his chest when he saw those eyes open again on that beach. But the more he sang, the more his voice was strained. Until it was gone completely. And then the panic set in. He tried to speak, to scream, but nothing came out. He touched his throat and his mouth, yet nothing changed. The quiet of his body was trapping the chaos of his mind.

And Crowley seemed to be enjoying himself, his eyes glowing in the light emanating from the shell hanging around his neck. “If I were you, I’d start swimming. Don’t want to be down this far in the water without a tail. You’ve seen firsthand how unwilling human lungs take to water.” His smile could only be described as a predator playing with its next meal. “We wouldn’t want our three weeks to end so soon, now would we?”

With his fins already starting to burn, Castiel swam toward the surface, not knowing what he’d just done.

•••

Castiel coughed up a mouthful of water when he got to the shore. He hadn’t realized how hard it was to swim without his tail. And with it gone, he quickly learned how his lungs burned without air. He felt like he’d never take another breath, never feel the sun on his skin, never take that first step. But then he was on the sand, coughing out the salty water he’d accidently swallowed and breathing the air that felt all too new.

But he forgot about all of that pain when he stood on his feet for the first time. The way his weight pressed into the bottom of his soles until he shifted to his toes. He was shaky with the first couple steps, but he was running before he knew it. He jumped and spun on the sandy shore, then finally collapsed and just ran his fingers over his legs. Sand covered almost every inch of his skin, but he didn’t mind. Castiel just couldn’t get over how everything felt. The sand, the wind, the water lapping at his feet. Especially the water. His new feet were so sensitive, and he wanted to laugh each time the waves brushed against his soles.

Except he couldn’t laugh. Or speak. Or sing.

Everything was silent besides the ocean and his own breathing. Until he heard something else. Something familiar. A dog. Then a voice.

Before he could register what was happening, a mass of fur tackled him to the ground. A silent laugh escaped his mouth as the dog started licking his face. “I’m so sorry about him. Sam, get off the poor man! He’s usually not- Dear Lord!”

Castiel looked up at the man in front of him, understanding only part of what he was saying. But the meaning didn’t matter because it was Dean. He’d been on the surface for ten minutes and had already found Dean.

He beamed at him, but Dean was adverting his eyes. “Why are you not wearing clothes? What happened to you?”

Castiel wanted to respond, but he wasn’t sure he’d know how even if he had his voice. He’d gotten the gist of what Dean was saying, though. And it wasn’t until that moment did he realize he’d need to find some clothes. It’s not like he had to worry about that back home.

Dean started unbuttoning his shirt, which Castiel didn’t understand. Was he trying to make him more comfortable by taking off his clothes too? If so, Castiel wasn’t complaining.

“Here,” he said, handing Castiel his shirt, “tie it around your waist.” Castiel only stared at him. He couldn’t make sense of those words, couldn’t piece them together in his own language to form some meaning. “Can you understand me?” Castiel just blinked at him, not sure how to tell him he could understand some of what he said, but not all of it. “Oh, I get it. You’re deaf, aren’t you?” That word sounded especially foreign to Castiel. Nothing in the conversation helped him either. “Can you read lips?”

But that language barrier gave Castiel a different meaning to that question. He heard, “Can you listen to my mouth?” which he assumed meant “Can you hear me?” So he nodded.

“Good. I’ll try to talk so you can see my lips. Sorry, it’s been so long since I used my sign language.” As he spoke, he made a few hand gestures that confused Castiel even more than the words Dean was saying. He chose to look at Dean’s pretty face instead. “But please, tie this around your waist.”

He handed Castiel the unbuttoned shirt again, this time, motioning as to what he should do with it. As Castiel worked on tying and buttoning the fabric to cover himself, Dean continued to talk. “I mean, not that you’re not very nice to look at. I just assume not everyone would be as happy to see you naked as I am. Trust me, this has been a pleasant thing to wake up to. And I am so glad you can’t hear me because I’m just blabbering on.”

When he finished, Castiel flashed Dean a wide smile, as if to say “Look, I did it!”

Dean told Castiel to follow him, then said, “It’ll be best if we take you through the back,” then headed off with his dog. Castiel wasn’t exactly sure what to do, so he just followed them. After a moment, they were at the modest back entrance of a large palace on the cliff they had just met under. Castiel eyed Dean warily, but the man confidently walked inside like he owned the place.

A maid rushed to help them without ever asking who they were or why exactly they were wearing one outfit between them. But Castiel quickly realized why. “Your Highness, what do you need?” Dean was royalty. That phrase, or maybe the way the maid held herself around Dean, transcended language. And that easygoing smile that Dean wore reminded him so much of his older brothers who had more confidence in their positions. Castiel had fought his way out of a royal engagement, only to fall for yet another royal. He couldn’t help but smile to himself at the irony.

“Anna, I’m going to need you to run this man a bath in my private quarters. All I need is another lecture about “bringing things in off the street”. You know I got an earful from Bobby after I brought Sam home.” He winked at her, which made her giggle. Castiel couldn’t help but frown at that, feeling a little possessive over his human. “But I will warn you, he seems to be deaf. So you won’t be getting any gossip out of him.”

“Oh, Your Highness, you know that I live off your gossip. It seems you’ve found a way to keep me out of the loop.” She glanced at Castiel. “What would you like after his bath? Should I just bring him back to your bedchambers? It looks like you two had fun undressing each other the first go around.”

“Nothing of the sort happened, Anna. But until we get him some appropriate clothing, maybe it’s best if you take him to my room to find some of mine to wear.”

She raised an eyebrow. “And what will you do in the meantime?”

“I’ll see how long our guest will be staying and make his accommodations.” He sighed. “And then, I’ll be brushing up on my sign language with Ellen.”

“Of course, Your Highness. Will I be bringing your guest to breakfast once he’s dressed?”

Dean thought about it for a moment then nodded. “Yes, thank you Anna.” Then he turned to Castiel again. He wasn’t sure if the new words were sounding more clear or if he was imagining it, but it felt like he could follow their conversation pretty well. “I’ll see you at breakfast. Take care.”

Castiel nodded, trying out some of the hand gestures Dean had done that made sense to him. He pointed to his eye, then to Dean, before smiling.

Once Dean walked away, Anna held out her hand. “Let’s go make you presentable. I don’t know how you got the Prince’s attention, but I’m going to ensure you keep it.”

•••

“I know it sounds crazy, Bobby, but he looks so much like the man who saved me.”

Bobby sighed. “And now the palace is refuge for anyone who looks like someone you probably made up mid-concussion?”

“I didn’t make him up.”

“I thought that man was singing and speaking another language? This deaf boy doesn’t seem to be very talkative.”

Dean pressed his hand to the window and looked out to the sun rising above the waves. “I don’t know. All I know is that this man is different. I know there’s something special about him, and I needed to help him.”

“Your Highness, I can’t stop you from opening your doors to strangers. Just please use your head about this. Be careful, and don’t let your heart- or anything lower- lead you astray.”

Dean gave Bobby a harsh look before dismissing him to order breakfast for five.

It didn’t take long for the table to be filled with food. The Prince, his manservant, his private tutor, and her daughter all began eating, quite aware of the empty chair that usually wasn’t set.

“So Ellen, I have a guest staying that will need some special accommodations. I was hoping you could help me review my sign language lessons over the next couple days.”

She nodded. “Of course, Your Highness.”

“And I would like Johanna to help my guest learn sign language as well.”

Johanna, the daughter of Ellen Harvelle who wasn’t much younger than Dean, spoke up. “I’m sorry? Your guest is deaf but doesn’t know sign language?”

“I’m not entirely sure. Maybe he knows a different form, but he does seem to read lips quite well. I just want him to feel comfortable here. So while he’s learning, I’m asking you to get to know him and help where you can. Interpret for him and come to me if he needs anything or if there’s any type of problem.”

“Yes, Your Highness. When can I meet him?”

“He’ll be joining us for breakfast shortly.” The doors opened just a moment later. “And here he comes.”

Sure enough, he walked into the room, only to be greeted by a standing Prince and his three gaping breakfast guests. Dean couldn’t keep his eyes off the man. Even though that light pink, almost white shirt and those fitted dress pants were his, Dean believed no one else should ever touch those garments again. They would never look right after being on this man.

He smiled at Dean. “Help yourself,” he responded, motioning to the food set out in front of him. And then the Prince returned to his conversation with the rest of the table, while Castiel secretly listened and ate.

•••

Later on, after Castiel spent all day with the girl who introduced herself as Johanna as she taught him sign language, he had a chance to meet Dean again. Johanna led Castiel from his room to Dean’s. She offered to stay to help them talk, but Dean refused and let her have the rest of the night off.

“I’m going to talk and sign, if it’s okay with you. I know you’re not used to our sign language, so this is a learning curve for us both.”

 _It’s okay_ , Castiel signed.

“I feel terrible because I don’t even know your name. And I’m sure you know who I am, so it seems you have the upperhand.”

Castiel wanted to laugh at that. He didn’t have any type of advantage right now. _You’re Dean._ And there he used the name sign Johanna had taught him: the sign for _prince_ using the letter D.

Dean smiled. “Couldn’t come up with anything better, huh Jo? At least it wasn’t an insult, I guess,” he mumbled to himself. He looked back to Castiel. “And what’s your name?”

But he didn’t know how to sign it. He knew his name was a different language and that Dean’s didn’t have the last letter of his name. He asked for a pen anyways.

“I’m sorry,” Dean said when he read his writing, “I don’t know what this last letter is. This is a different language, right?” Castiel nodded. “Well, can I call you Cas then? I know it’s not the same but-“

He started nodding. Cas. He really liked it. His family had never been fond of nicknames, but Cas secretly loved them. And he loved that Dean was the one to give him this one. _Thank you._

“Oh, you’re welcome.” He was clearly confused, but there was also this small smile on his face. It was as if the nickname gave him the same satisfaction that it gave Cas. “Where exactly are you from? I’ve never seen this language before, but it’s so close to mine.”

_Not very far, but a different world._

And they continued to talk into the night, getting to know each other bit by bit. There was just one question Dean hadn’t asked that was eating him up inside. How did Cas end up on the beach that morning? But even if he did ask, Cas wouldn’t have had an answer for him. At least, not one he could communicate.

•••

Days passed as Cas learned more and more of this new language, both in signs and in the spoken word no one knew he could hear. He hadn’t spoken to Dean again since the first night. Johanna said he was busy with his preparations for becoming King. So to keep himself busy, he talked to the girl he was starting to think as a friend. And when he was alone, he would listen to Kevin and Charlie through his window that overlooked the ocean. He tried to respond the best he could, but there was only so much he could do without resorting to the signs his friends couldn’t understand.

And for three days, that’s how his life played out. Until he was summoned to dinner with the Prince.

He was waiting for Castiel in the dining hall they had breakfast in that first morning, and he stood as Castiel walked in the room just as he did then. Unlike that morning, Castiel had grown used to his legs and his new surroundings. The halls weren’t the same as the stone and coral ones of his own castle, but the marble and granite felt just as sturdy. The way his shoes echoed on the floor didn’t remind him of the way the water flowed through the rooms back home, but he could almost hear it in the crashing waves outside the palace. Castiel loved all the food the cooks delivered to his room or presented at the royal table. All except the seafood that he wouldn’t even try. And he especially loved his new clothes the Prince had ordered for him. The way the fabric felt on his skin. The way the buttons felt like small shells he’d find in the sand by his grotto. The way his pants looked on his new legs. The soft cushioning in the shoes under his new feet. But most of all, he’d gotten used to the silence where his voice belonged. The heavy weight that had pressed harder and harder when he tried to speak was replaced with an acceptance and a simple absence of sound. And while he hated it at first, he began to enjoy communicating with his hands, the careful way he had to choose his words and the way everything was stripped to its true meaning.

And then there was Prince Dean.

“I’m sorry I haven’t seen you in a few days. How are you adjusting?”

_Good. Everyone here is very welcoming._

“They better be. I don’t pay them to be rude,” he laughed, winking to Cas. “And Jo? I mean, Johanna. Sorry, we grew up together so she’s like a little sister to me.”

 _You like your nicknames,_ and here Cas didn’t know the sign so he used _short name_ instead while Dean smiled, _don’t you? But I can’t insult her now._ He smiled at Dean, completely missing the plate being put in front of him. _She’s becoming a good friend. She makes me feel at home._

“Speaking of, would you like to take a tour around the city? I’d like you to know something outside these walls.”

_That would be nice. Thank you._

“Great. I’ll clear my schedule for tomorrow then.”

That smile made Cas feel like he was seeing Dean for the first time on that boat again. But this time, he was part of the party. He was dancing and laughing and celebrating. And he felt right where he was supposed to be.

•••

The days after their tour around the city, Cas found himself alone again while Dean did his job as King-to-be. But this time, Johanna didn’t join him for a sign language lesson. She said he was free to do whatever he wanted, so he set out to explore the palace that he was calling home.

He found himself wandering through empty or mostly empty hallways with walls covered in portraits of long-dead royalty and snapshots of the kingdom’s history and legends. One painting in particular held his attention for longer than it should have. It showed a misty ocean scene where a mermaid with a glowing shell necklace rested on a rock by the shore. There was something familiar about that mermaid. That necklace.

“That one is beautiful, isn’t it?” Cas almost turned toward the voice but remembered he was supposed to be deaf and continued to look at the painting instead. The maid gasped when she realized who she was trying to talk to then tapped him on the shoulder. Cas faced the maid and told her he could read lips, even though he hadn’t picked up that skill yet, by tapping his lips and pointing to her while nodding. She smiled then repeated herself. “We have a legend that our first King searched all along the coastline for a place to start his kingdom. His own father told him that if he wanted a successful kingdom on the sea, he needed to find a coast guarded by sirens because they would protect themselves from enemy ships. And if he allied himself with them, they would protect his kingdom too. This is supposed to be the first siren King Abel met. Then he built his palace on the cliff overlooking that very spot he saw her.” Cas smiled, knowing this maid wouldn’t understand anything he signed to her. “It’s a nice story, anyhow. Enjoy yourself Cas.”

Cas looked back at the painting. While it was a nice story, he had a feeling there was more truth to it than anyone thought. That necklace, he realized, was the same one that hung from the Sea Witch’s neck. His Uncle Crowley stole the royal family’s magical heirloom when he fled from the castle. So that means King Abel met the only mermaid that had the power to protect his new kingdom: an old Queen who seemed to favor the humans more than the current King. Cas couldn’t help but think that if an alliance was possible then, perhaps one was still possible now.

But he quickly pushed the ridiculous thought aside and continued down the hall.

Cas spent the rest of the day in studies and game rooms, trophy rooms and an armory, a gym or training room of sorts and kitchens and ballrooms. But his favorite room of all was the large library that had a window overlooking the ocean and a skylight with stain glass sea life dancing on the ceiling. He read until the sun went down when he returned to his room but found himself being pulled back into the pages after breakfast. He read old legends from the kingdom, many of which were about the elusive sirens. He read fictional works that bored him quickly from one section and held his attention for hours from another. He read poetry and short pieces. Then he found the history books. They outlined wars between kingdoms and the rise and fall of empires. They told facts and numbers. And Cas couldn’t get enough.

He was in the middle of a journal from one of the Kings when Dean found him on the third day of reading.

Dean wasn’t looking for Cas; in fact, he was only passing the library to get his lunch before he was to start in on financial reports. But he saw the door opened and couldn’t help himself. No one went into this library unless they had to. Most used the smaller library near the bedchambers or their studies. He was only a little surprised so see Cas sitting in the window with a book in his hands. He was completely relaxed, absolutely engrossed as he read page after page with a content look on his face.

Eventually, Dean stopped watching Cas and sat in front of him in the window. He lifted the book a little to see the cover, letting out a little laugh once he did. “Why are you reading history books of all things?” Dean asked.

 _I don’t know how to explain. They make me happy. I want to learn about your kingdom._ And you, Cas thought. But he wouldn’t be learning about the Prince from any history book.

“Why don’t you ask me instead? I can tell you anything you want to know.”

_Really? Do you have the time?_

“I’ll make time. Now, what would you like to know?”

•••

The next day, Dean really needed to focus. He had meetings and paperwork and so many things he should have been focused on. But all he could think about was Cas. Cas and his pretty blue eyes and pale skin and dark hair. And that first time they met on the beach. He was lucky those embarrassing thoughts only showed up when he was doing paperwork alone. Then there were the more innocent intrusive thoughts. Like the soft smile he wore when he saw Dean’s horses for the first time or the silent laughter that joined his excitement when he played with Sam. Like the way he fumbled with his signs sometimes or tapped his palm with his middle finger as he searched for words. Like the way he looked in the window with the sun shining around him the day before. How he read almost all the boring journals and history books Dean struggled to get through in class. How he just wanted to learn about the kingdom and their customs. The tender questions he signed to Dean with his hands close to his chest, almost as if he was whispering. Asking about his coronation and his parents and the kingdom’s expectations of its King and so much more about Dean as a person and not the Prince.

And damn, Dean couldn’t think straight at all. He just wanted to be talking to his Cas, not locked away in a study while Jo got to keep him company. He just wanted to be close to him and hold him in his arms. He wanted to dance and take his hand as they walked on the beach. Dean wanted Cas to stay forever so he never had to let him go. But he still wasn’t exactly sure where he was from or who he was. He didn’t know if he would have to return to that place to be that person again soon. And until then, he didn’t want to get carried away in his thoughts. Because he could imagine holding him as he fell asleep each night, the weight of a kingdom melting away in Cas’s tired blue eyes, and he could imagine asking him to stay with him permanently and to rule by his side as Prince Consort all he wanted; but if Cas intended to return to his home, none of those fantasies mattered.

Of course, that didn’t stop Dean from imagining all the same and being distracted from his work all day.

•••

Cas was starting to worry by the beginning of the third week. It had been days since he last saw Dean in the library, and he was wondering if he still had a chance to win him over with just a week left. He was trying to distract himself by reading the book Dean gave to him from his personal shelves in his bedchambers, the one he claimed was his favorite. He was just starting to lose himself in the words when a knock came from his door.

“The Prince sent me to request your presence at dinner tonight.” Cas smiled, and Johanna gave him a knowing look. “It’s just for you two, so I also came to help you pick out something to wear. There’s no way I’m letting you go without looking absolutely stunning.”

_I don’t need to wear anything fancy. He’s seen me with just a shirt around my waist._

“That’s a story you haven’t shared yet but will be sharing later.” She went over to the wardrobe and searched through the clothing. She turned back to Cas, both so he could see her lips and so she could hold up a shirt to see how it would look on him. “But right now, I need to find you something that will make Dean speechless.” She turned back to the closet yet continued to talk, obviously thinking she was hiding her words from Cas. “If that boy won’t admit that he’s developing feelings for you, we’ll make sure you look so gorgeous he can’t pretend anymore.”

It didn’t take long for Johanna to find a powder blue shirt that matched his eyes and a pair of pants which she chose because “if they didn’t make Dean fall in love, nothing would”. She helped him style his hair with something that looked like the mud he used in his garden back home, then she pushed him out of his own room with the instructions to “not come back alone”.

And then before he knew it, Cas was walking into dinner once again with the Prince. Only this time, he felt much more nervous. Maybe because he was getting closer to his deadline. Maybe because he felt like this was actually possible now.

Dean pulled out his chair for him, the one on the left of the head of the table where he was sitting. The glasses were already filled with rich red wine and the plates were topped with delicious smelling foods Cas didn’t have a name for.

It didn’t take long for the silence to get to Dean, despite the solo violinist he had playing softly for his own benefit. He set down his fork and began frantically talking ang signing to Cas, only for him to panic and ask him to slow down.

Dean took a deep breath. “These past few weeks have been some of the most amazing of my life. Finding you on that beach, even though I haven’t gotten an answer as to how you ended up there, was a blessing. But I’m worried that I could grow closer to you, only for you to leave. For you to leave me. I’m worried that my feelings may not match your own. I’m worried about growing close and how the kingdom will respond. I don’t want them to feel lied to or betrayed or for them to lose faith in me before I even take the crown. I’m worried about my reputation and the kingdom… and yours. I don’t want them to hurt you in any way. My subjects all have this idea about me. They all expect my past actions to mean nothing. They all expect me to be this perfect King. They want me to be my father, but I’m not him. I don’t think the same way. I don’t act the same way. I don’t feel the same way. But these feelings are so confusing. I don’t know where to stand with you. I don’t know if or how we should continue. I don’t know-”

Cas shakes his hand, hoping to stop Dean from going on. He was so lost. He just didn’t understand what he was meaning. _What are you saying, Dean?_

Dean made a sign Cas didn’t recognize- _a C placed on his left ring finger_ \- which Cas assumed to be his new name sign. Dean changed it every so often, depending on the situation and what they had last talked about. When Cas didn’t react in any certain way, Dean took Cas’s hand for a moment, looking in his eyes. “I don’t think any of that matters anymore. Not to me. So will you stay here? Will you stay with me? Will you let me get to know you so I can- Will you-” He took another deep breath. “Will you dance with me?”

_I can’t. I don’t know how._

“I’ll teach you. All you have to do is follow my lead.” He stood from his chair and held out a hand.

Cas smiled shyly and followed him to the center of the room. Dean nodded to the violinist who changed music for them, then he pulled Cas close to him. He guided Cas’s hand to his shoulder then took the other, placing his own hand on Cas’s waist. Dean led them in a simple waltz where he couldn’t keep his eyes off the man in his arms. Cas, meanwhile, was almost too busy trying not to trip over his clumsy feet. At the end of the song, Dean spun him, keeping him tucked close to his chest once he pulled him back.

“Please, Cas, will you stay with me?”

He spoke slow so he could hold Cas and talk, enunciating as clearly as he could. And since Cas couldn’t sign himself, he settled for a simple nod. Because what else would he say? He’d given up everything to stay with Dean. To stay human with him. Dean’s eyes dropped down to Cas’s slightly parted lips, then back to his eyes.

And then he started leaning in. Cas could feel his heart almost beating out of his chest. This was it. This was the moment he was waiting for. He didn’t even need the three weeks to win Dean over. Here he was, just two weeks in, leaning closer to kiss him. Cas titled his head up, feeling Dean’s warm breath on his lips. His eyelids were just closing when that all disappeared. Dean let Cas go, rubbing his hand over his face.

Cas didn’t understand what had happened, what he did wrong. Dean was just signing on and on, but Cas couldn’t focus on what he was saying. He couldn’t even get his ears to listen to his voice. Then Dean was signing _I’m sorry._ _I’m so sorry, Cas._

He covered Dean’s hands, and he stopped talking as well. _It’s okay. Too far. Too close. I’m sorry._

“You didn’t do anything wrong. It’s me. I don’t know what I was thinking. I don’t know-”

_It’s okay. I’m going to bed now. Thank you for dinner and the dance._

Dean didn’t know what else to do, so he just let him go.

•••

Kevin and Charlie watched Castiel pace in his room, signing faster and faster to himself until, even if they could understand him, every word became a blurred mess. He was mouthing along with his hands, mixing in words from his native language that caused his hands to stutter. Eventually, he stopped moving and fell to the ground with his hands covering his face.

“Castiel,” Charlie said softly, “what’s happening?”

He hit his closed fist to his forehead a few times, tapped his chest then his forehead again. _Stupid. I’m stupid._

Kevin looked at Charlie, not understanding either. “He had dinner with the Prince, right?” She nodded. “Castiel, did something bad happen with Dean?” Cas shook his head, then he paused, closed his eyes, and nodded.

Charlie swam as close to the window as she could. “You still have the rest of the week to turn things around. You can still get him to kiss you.”

Cas touched his lips and shrugged. He wasn’t sure if he could save this after all. Dean had made it pretty clear that he didn’t want to kiss him, no matter what he said. And Cas wasn’t sure if he could change his mind in time.

•••

It took almost three days for Dean to gather enough courage to knock in Cas’s door. He hated himself for what had happened at dinner. That devastated look on Cas’s face made Dean regret not kissing him. And it wasn’t that he didn’t want to kiss him; he was just overwhelmed by the situation and got caught up in his thoughts. But now he was here at his door, hoping the past few days could be forgotten.

Cas opened the door, parting his lips in surprise when he saw the Prince. _Dean._

“Can we forget about that night? Start over?”

 _What night?_ Cas smiled. _I’ve never met you before._

“Will you come with me? There’s something I’d like to show you.”

_Let me get ready._

“You don’t have to. You look just fine. Good. You look good.”

Cas blushed, tapping his finger on his palm. _Let’s go then._

•••

“I’ve never brought anyone here before.”

Cas looked around the forest, not quite sure where or what _here_ was. _So why did you bring me?_

“To apologize. Explain. Hopefully to make up for the other night.”

 _The one we’re forgetting about?_ Dean laughed, holding out his hand so Cas wouldn’t trip on a rough part of the trial. _Are you sure you’re not bringing me out here to kill me?_

“I promise you’re safe. We’re almost there.”

And after a few more minutes of walking, they came to a small body of water. A boat was tied to the dock, and Dean went straight to getting it ready for them. Cas watched him the whole time, secretly hoping that this meant he would be staying on the surface permanently after today.

Dean turned around and motioned for Cas to come over to the boat. He helped him in, his hand lingering in Cas’s just a bit longer than he meant to. Once Cas was settled, Dean joined him, then rowed the boat into the lagoon.

The water practically glowed in the evening sunlight, a transparent teal that let Cas see straight through to all the life in the water. He dropped his hand into the water, gaining the attention of a few silver fish. A bird rustled the brunches overhead, which let pink flowers fall around them. Cas’s hands rested on his lap, being still for the first time in weeks, as he looked around the lagoon. Weeping willows and flowering trees let the sunlight slant in, casting shifting shadows all around. Crickets were singing and lightning bugs started to glow in the warm air.

 _It’s beautiful,_ Cas told Dean.

“Yeah,” he replied, not taking his eyes off the man in front of him, “it really is.” When Cas turned back to his awed admiration of the lagoon, Dean continued talking. “I just want to kiss you. And I know you can’t hear me, so I guess that’s why I can say all this right now. I want to kiss you so badly, but I’m worried about my kingdom. About the fuss my subjects could start when they found out about you. If they thought I was unfit to rule because my _flirtatious phase_ lasted longer than they expected. About what my father would think. He expected me to marry a nice girl and continue the royal line, and I never wanted to disappoint him. And now he’s gone, and I’m still trying to impress him.” He sighed. “But I don’t think I care about what they think. Because I can’t keep pretending that you aren’t exactly what I’ve wanted al this time. I can’t ignore how familiar you seem or the way you care so deeply about my kingdom. I can’t ignore these feelings anymore.”

Dean reached for Cas’s hand, pulling his attention back to him. Even though Cas had been listening to every word already. He kissed his hand before he started signing. “I don’t know if you’re what’s best for the kingdom or my father. I don’t know if they would approve of you. But I’m King, not my subjects and not my father. And I think- no, I know- you’re what’s best for me.”

Cas lifted his hands to say something, but he couldn’t get out anything but _Dean._

Dean put his hand to Cas’s cheek, asking, “Can I?”

And Cas nodded.

He felt his hands shaking. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion, like Dean would never just kiss him. All he wanted was to kiss him. All he wanted was to be with Dean, to keep his legs, and to speak to him for the first time. He wanted Dean to hear his voice, hear what had happened to him. Cas wanted so badly to stay with Dean.

But he felt something hit the boat, and the next thing he knew, they were both in the water.

Cas bobbed in the water and wiped the wet hair out of his eyes. He saw flashes in the water where the river fed into the lagoon. Two flashes of electricity that Cas recognized from his uncle’s cave. The Sea Witch sent his pets to sabotage their deal. He was getting nervous, knowing Cas was going to come out ahead. Cas knew he needed this to end quickly before Crowley tried something bigger. He turned in the water until he found Dean again, just wanting to kiss him.

Dean pulled on his hand, though. “Let’s go back before we get sick in the cold water. We’ll go home and change before dinner.”

Cas smiled, hoping his chances would be better back on land. He was determined to end this all tonight.

•••

Crowley reclined back on his sofa, stretching out his tentacles. “It’s getting too close, ladies,” he murmured to his eels he was watching through his crystal ball. “I can’t risk the Princes getting that close again. I think it’s time I took this into my own hands.”

•••

Later Dean wandered around the beach while Cas changed. He didn’t know why he wasn’t changing himself, why he wasn’t getting ready for dinner. He didn’t know why he couldn’t kiss Cas or why things stood in the way every time they started getting close.

He just needed some air. He just needed to think about everything and question what he really wanted. And all that debating led him to a simple answer. He wanted Cas.

So Dean started back to the palace doors, knowing his Cas was waiting on him.

“Dean,” a voice called. The Prince stopped in his tracks. He knew that voice. It was so familiar, but he couldn’t place it. “Wake up, please.” The woman laughed as she got closer. A glowing shell hung from her neck, falling right above her low-cut dress. She was certainly distracting, but it wasn’t the dress or her dark hair or her purple eyes that wouldn’t let Dean leave. It was that voice. That achingly familiar voice that was saying everything that man said when he rescued him. She sounded exactly like him, only more feminine. Dean started to wonder if it was a man singing to him that day after all.

The woman walked up to Dean, reaching a hand to his cheek. She started singing, and Dean felt like he couldn’t move. He couldn’t look away from this woman, couldn’t stop listening to her. And then he couldn’t remember what he was doing on the beach in the first place.

“Dean,” the woman cooed, “don’t you think it’s time we went home?”

“Of course. Let’s go home, Vanessa.”

•••

Cas woke up on his bed, already dressed. He’d fallen asleep the night before waiting for Dean to get him for dinner. He never came. He was worried about Dean, so he got up and left his room to find him. When he wasn’t in his room, he started toward the dining hall.

He got excited when he heard Dean’s voice, but his heart skipped a beat after he realized what he was talking to Bobby about. “-married at once, Bobby. I love her.” _Her?_

“Your Highness, pardon me, but this is the first time I’ve heard of this Vanessa. How did you two meet?”

“She saved me when we had our accident a few weeks ago.”

“You told me a man saved you.”

“I was mistaken. You said it yourself, I had a concussion. The details were all mixed up.” Cas looked around the corner to find Dean with a girl hanging on his arm. “But I know now, and we’re to be married. Tomorrow.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Cas started breathing heavily, tears uncontrollably falling as he ran back to his room. Dean was getting married? He didn’t know who this woman, this Vanessa, was but he knew she was why Dean never came to get him the night before.

He slammed the door behind him, startling Kevin who was sitting in the window. “Your Highness, what’s wrong?”

Cas covered his mouth, trying to compose himself. He tapped his ring finger then pointed to the door.

“Are you saying Dean proposed?” Cas nodded. “Well, congratulations.” He shook his head and fell onto his bed. “He… proposed to someone else?” Cas nodded again, crying even harder. “You can still turn this around. There are two days left before your three weeks are up. Don’t lose hope now.”

But Dean wouldn’t talk to Cas. He wouldn’t even see him when he asked Johanna. And when she told him wedding preparations had started, Cas started accepting that he would be going back to the sea soon.

•••

The wedding ship set sail the next evening with Cas unhappily playing his role as the groom’s friend. He had to watch as everyone celebrated the Prince’s wedding, toasting to their happiness, the kingdom’s prosperous future, and many healthy heirs. He ate with Johanna while she signed apologies. Meanwhile the bride and groom were suspiciously absent.

Before he knew it, Cas was sitting down for the wedding ceremony. He had a front row seat to watch the man he loved marry someone else. He tried to get to Dean before then, but no one would let him get close to him before the ceremony. Now he was passing Cas, an empty expression on his face when he should have been so happy. Why was he marrying Vanessa if he wasn’t happy?

The music shifted, and everyone turned to watch the bride walk down the aisle. When she passed the front row, he saw a familiar necklace on her chest. An incredibly familiar necklace. The one that was passed down in his family and now was with the Sea Witch.

Cas silently laughed as Vanessa reached Dean. It all made sense now. Not coming for dinner, the abrupt marriage, the eels that knocked over the boat a few days before, that dead look in Dean’s eyes. It was Crowley. He transformed himself and cast a spell over Dean to make him marry him. Or marry _Vanessa_. He was scared he could lose their deal, so he decided to ruin Cas’s chances.

The priest began the ceremony, and everyone returned to their seats. Cas started daggers at the Sea Witch, waiting for his chance to stop this horror show. “Does anyone object to this union? If not-” Cas stood up, gaining many stares and whispers. “Sir, do you have something to say?”

_I object._

Johanna laughed from her seat. “He says he objects. Which I happen to agree with.”

Cas walked up to the couple, backed by the crowd gasping and wondering what was going on. He faced Dean, only to receive an empty, unrecognizing gaze. _I’m sorry,_ he signed. Then he spun onto Vanessa and smirked. _Sea Witch._ He ripped the shell necklace from her neck and threw it on the ground.

A glowing light broke out from the shell, and a warm feeling spread throughout Cas’s body. When he looked back to Dean, he was blinking away the spell and the confusion.

“Dean,” Cas gasped, his voice raw from being missing for three weeks.

Dean gaped at him for the longest time before he found his own voice. “You can talk? But- But how? I thought-”

“I’m not deaf. I lost my voice. I actually traded it. For my legs.”

“For your legs? What does that mean, Cas?”

“Do you remember the legend of how your first King settled here?”

Dean took a step away from Cas. “Are you telling me you’re a siren?”

Cas shook his head, waving his hands in front of him. “No, no. It’s not like that, not how you’re thinking. I’m a mermaid, er, merman.” He took Dean’s hand. “But I gave that up to come to the surface. I gave that up to be with you.”

“That’s crazy, Cas. How can I believe anything you’re saying? How can I be sure you weren’t just lying to me all this time?”

“You know me, Dean. I would have told you if I could. I just wanted to win you over and explain later.”

Dean frowned. “What does winning me over have to do with your voice?”

“I had three weeks to make you fall in love with me before I would lose my legs and have to go back to the sea.”

Dean came closer to Cas, looking him up and down. “You didn’t need three weeks for that. You’ve been safe from losing your legs since the beginning.”

“You had to kiss me,” Cas admitted. “True love’s kiss was the only way I could stay on the surface.”

Dean leaned in. “Well, in that case,” he breathed.

Cas’s legs started to burn, spreading from his toes to his hips. “No,” he moaned. He collapsed as his legs fused back into his tail, something even more painful than when they were ripped apart. From the floor of the ship, he cried out. Dean hovered over him, but Cas only looked toward the girl at the front of the ship. Knowing a confrontation was coming, people started to leave the scene. “We had a deal, Crowley! Three weeks. We agreed on three weeks, which means I have one more day.”

Crowley’s voice played out of Vanessa’s body, causing the remaining wedding guests to flee from the deck. They all rushed below deck, leaving just the mermaid, the Prince, and the beautiful woman with a man’s voice. “Our deal was for you to give up your voice for a pair of legs. You have your voice, so the legs are mine again. Our deal is off, Castiel.”

“Castiel,” Dean mumbled.

Cas wanted to tell him that it wasn’t the time to focus on his name. But his attention was brought back to Vanessa as she transformed into the Sea Witch. He cackled and took off toward Cas. He moved on the ship much better than Cas could with his tail, and Cas couldn’t get away from him in time. Crowley grabbed the young merman and dragged him back into the sea he’d spent so long running from.

They were met at the sandy floor by the King and Kevin. Cas didn’t even notice Kevin had left that morning, but he was never so happy to see that little crab.

“Oh, hello Chuck,” Crowley said, his grip tightening on Cas’s arm. “To what do I owe this pleasure? What have I done to earn Your Royal Majesty’s presence?”

“You know what you did, brother.” He reached out his hand. “My son didn’t know what he was doing. He was in distress; he wasn’t in his right mind when you coerced him into making a deal with you. You manipulated his pain and gave him an impossible ultimatum. Just let him go, and we can forget all about this.”

“Like you forget anything. You’re still holding that little assassination attempt against me.” He made the contract Cas signed appear. “He signed right on the dotted line. He agreed to the terms, then he went back on our deal. So now, his soul is mine.”

“What?” Cas started struggling against Crowley but couldn’t pull himself free.

“Oh no,” Crowley said, feigning sympathy, “you should have read the fine print, _Cas_.”

“Let my son go, Crowley.”

“I can’t do that, Chuck. But I am a business man, and I know when a better deal comes my way. So if you’re willing to make a trade, I’ll wipe away his little debt. What do you say, Your Majesty? Your soul for your son’s.”

“No, Father. Don’t do it. I made this mess, not you. You-”

Crowley snapped his fingers and Cas was trapped in a magical cage his voice wouldn’t travelled through. “Ugh, I liked you better when you couldn’t speak. So do we have a deal?”

Before the King could respond, something shot out of Crowley’s chest. Cas turned to find Dean swimming with a harpoon in his hand. He wanted to say something, but he couldn’t talk and Dean only had so much air and had to go back to the surface.

Crowley clawed at the object that was too close to his heart. He gasped as dark red blood poured from his mouth. He collapsed into a cloud of sand as Cas was freed. All his magic was dying with Crowley, and Cas watched as the contract selling his soul crumbled to dust next to the Sea Witch’s lifeless body.

“Castiel.”

“Father, I- I’ll come back. I need to see him, though. I need to thank him.” He ducked his head. “I need to say goodbye.”

“Go. And I’ll see you home when you’re finished. We have a lot we need to discuss.”

•••

Cas missed the wedding ship by the time his father let him go, so he waited for Dean on the beach where they met. He knew Dean would need to clear his head, and this was his favorite place to think. Sure enough, as the sun began to set, Dean walked across the sand and stood in front of the rock Cas was sitting on.

“Why didn’t you just tell me what was going on?”

 _I’m sorry. I didn’t know how to tell you._ He sighed. “I didn’t have the right words, the right explanation. I didn’t think you would believe me, even if I knew the right words to say.” He laughed. “How exactly do you sign that an evil octopus traded my voice so I could become human?”

Dean waded into the water, reaching out his hand and looking up through his eyelashes at Cas. “Can I?” Cas nodded, and Dean ran his fingers over the scales on his tail. A chill went up Cas’s spine, and he let out a little gasp. Dean smirked and signed _beautiful._ Cas blushed and looked away when Dean moved his hand. “You gave up so much to come here. Is my world that much better than yours?”

“Well, it has you, so yes.” His fin twitched in the water. “But there’s so much up here that I’ve always loved. Everything feels different in the water. There’s no wind or crickets chirping at night. The music sounds different, and I’ve never worn clothes until I met you. The sun doesn’t even feel the same down there. My mother loved the surface too. She always thought we should protect the humans. She thought we could trust them. Trust you. She saw beauty in everything, merfolk or human, it didn’t matter. My father didn’t feel the same as her, and when she died… We were forbidden from coming to the surface, but I couldn’t help myself. I couldn’t stay away.” He smiled to himself. “My family says I’m too much like my mother.” He looked back at Dean. “She would’ve loved you.”

Dean didn’t know how to respond or how to return the sentiment, so he held Cas’s hands. “And you’re sure you didn’t do all of this just to get my kingdom?”

Cas laughed. “I didn’t even know you were royalty. Besides, I was running away from my own engagement and inherited kingdom when we met.”

He smiled sadly. “Maybe it’s a good thing this happened then. I wouldn’t want you being miserable running my kingdom with me.”

Cas felt like he was just punched in the gut. “What?”

“I wanted to offer, but things always came up.” Cas reached out to touch his cheek. Dean leaned into hi touch. “Will I ever see you again?”

Cas shook his head. “Dean, the deal I made with the Sea Witch is broken. My legs are gone, and I have to go home.”

“I wish that meant you were coming back with me.”

“Me too. But I’ll be engaged when I get back. This time I won’t be running away. I already caused so much trouble for my family, so I’m going to be a good little Prince and let my family send me away to marry some mermaid I don’t know.” He dropped his hand. “I should be getting back.”

“Can I kiss you?”

“I’m going to have a hard enough time leaving; please don’t make it worse for me.”

“Alright. Goodbye, Castiel.”

“Goodbye, Dean.”

•••

When Castiel got back to the castle, he had to explain the whole situation to his father. Every moment from when he fled the festival to the wedding. He apologizes over and over, finally agreeing to marry Princess Amelia if his father would smooth things over with the royal family.

The King sighed. “You don’t want that, Castiel. I know that now. You belong up there with the humans. You belong with him.”

Castiel stared at his father, not quite believing those words just came out of his mouth. “But it’s too late now. It doesn’t matter where I belong because the deal is off. I blew my chance at a happy ending.”

Chuck titled his head, seeming to debate something in his head. “Castiel,” he finally said, “have you ever wondered how the Witch got his power? Or how you can heal with just your voice? Your mother had her necklace, which my brother stole out of greed, but you have the same magic in your blood that has flowed through all of our ancestors.” He leaned forward in his throne. “A pair of legs is nothing for a Prince.”

Castiel touched the base of his throat, too many emotions spinning in his head. “Do I have your blessing then?”

“If this is what will make you happy, go back to the surface. Go back to your human Prince.” He offered up a small smile to his otherwise unemotional face. “As long as you return to see your family every once in a while.”

“Oh, thank you! Thank you, Father!”

He started to swim out the door, but the King stopped him. “You’re going the wrong way.”

“No, I’m not. I can’t leave without saying goodbye to my brothers. Not this time.”

Chuck laughed to himself when his son left. He knew letting him go was the only way for Castiel to be happy.

Kevin crawled onto the arm of the throne. “Your Majesty, why didn’t you give him legs yourself? You are more than powerful enough to do it.”

“You’re right, Kevin. I could have done it for him.” He paused, picking out the right words. “My son has always had great potential; he just needed some help to find it within him. And that Prince did just that. I see a strength and a fierceness in Castiel now where he was content to follow his life’s currant before. He’s strong enough to know what power lies inside him. And I just think it’s time I supported what he wants.” He sighed. “He really is just like his mother.”

•••

Castiel swam back to the surface, singing as he did. All his love for Dean and the life he’d found was poured into the lyrics, and he could feel his tail changing into his legs once again. But this time, there was no pain. There was no discomfort or unease. It was a smooth transition from merman to human, joined only by a warm sensation and a lightness.

Then he was running across the shore to the back door of the palace, having enough foresight to grab some trousers from the empty laundry before he made his way to Dean’s room. He knocked softly on the door and waited patiently for it to open, hoping the maids were already in bed. He didn’t want to explain why he was shirtless outside the Prince’s room.

Dean finally opened the door, freezing once he saw who had knocked. “Please tell me I’m not dreaming, because it would be cruel to make me wake up if I am.”

 _It’s a long story, Dean._ Cas let his name sign hover between them for a moment. _I’m home now._

And finally, Dean pulled him in for a kiss.


End file.
